My Irish Experience Series: Part 2

Part 2: Accommodations

• Ireland has every type of accommodation available and a lot of them.  When planning your Ireland vacation you need to decide what type of sleeping arrangements you want to have.  We chose one budget hotel, one moderate bed and breakfast, one preferred bed and breakfast, and one castle.  A little bit of everything, but nothing extreme.  If you are planning a super tight budget trip, more power to you.  The hubs and I backpacked through Europe twice and hostels are great, just not for a 10 year wedding anniversary trip.  Also, I'm not at the stage of life where I can justify luxury digs every night.  Maybe one day, right?

     Since the types of accommodations in Ireland are so varied and unique, I wanted to experience a little bit of everything.  We started off our journey in Dublin with the budget friendly hotel chain, Travelodge.  I was pleased with our stay at the Travelodge Dublin Airport South.  It was clean and had good service.  There was a grocery store just across the street from the hotel, which was so convenient to stop in at to get breakfast or stock up on snacks.  The hotel was also right beside a bus stop that went to Dublin's city center. 

  The next sleeping experience was a B&B at a working dairy farm.  In the travel guides they tell you that many people in Ireland will open up several of their bedrooms to tourists as a bed and breakfast, and guess what... they really do!  I booked a stay at the Glenraha Farmhouse B&B months in advance.  I chose it because of the reviews I read about being able to experience the dairy farm, which was the family's main source of income.  When we arrived at the ordinary little farm home we weren't quite sure what to expect.  And actually the hostess wasn't expecting us; she had forgotten that we were coming, but she had just cleaned the bedrooms.  She welcomed us in, just as if we were friends from out of town; her son was watching television in the lounge.  It was a nice, little place, but the real treat came in the morning.  Brid, our hostess, made us a delicious Irish breakfast that warmed us up before we headed out into the cool morning.  Their son had made some muffins for a school project and had wrapped some up for us to take.  My sister and I went to see the cows being milked, and Jim, our host, showed us everything about the dairy process.  It was an educational and fun experience for this non-farm girl.

Beautiful Friars Glen Country House

As we crossed the country our next night landed us in an enchanting bed and breakfast in Killarney.  Of all the beautiful places I encountered in Ireland, Killarney was my favorite, and so was Friar's Glen Bed and Breakfast.  Tucked back in Killarney National Park, Friar's Glen's charming exterior welcomed us with exquisite landscaping and flowers, even in October.  We were welcomed by John, our host, who made sure we were comfortable and took time to give us restaurant recommendations for dinner.   We had booked a two night special online and it was nice to stay in the same bed more than one night.  Breakfast was served in a sunroom full of windows overlooking a small meadow surrounded by woods.  While we ate our full Irish breakfast, porridge, and tea we watched Sitka and red deer wander through the meadow.  You just can't start your day much more peacefully than that.  As our departure time came, John and his wife, Mary, came out to send us off.  We chatted with our hosts, who were so friendly and sincere, and headed out, wishing we could have stayed longer.

Our final accommodation before we finished back in Dublin was Kinnitty Castle in County Offaly.  This was our grand finale.  This castle is steeped in history dating back to the 1100s.  Our rooms looked like something out of the Middle Ages, in a good way.  Lots of coats of arms, heavy wooden beams, and plenty of stone.  The section of the castle we stayed in was in the older part of the building that was an abbey before it became a private home (castle).  There were suits of armor greeting us as we entered the reception hall. We ate dinner in the castle as part of a package I booked and it was fun to eat a fancy meal in the elegant dining hall.  Afterwards we spent the evening in the Library Bar, sipping Irish coffee (a first for Kara and me), laughing, and having fun relaxing in the comfy green couches.   We arrived at Kinnitty Castle late in the afternoon and had to leave after breakfast in the morning, and I wish I had scheduled more time there.  They have several activities on the premises that I would have loved to do, particularly the clay pigeon shooting.  Now, I'm not a hunter, not even close, but being in Ireland and being clay pigeons, I just wish I would have scheduled more time and spent the money for the experience.  So, learn from my mistake and take advantage of the memorable experiences when available!   :) 

Take a gander at some of these fantastic Irish lodging to see if any fit your taste in travel.  I've ordered them from most budget friendly to lavishly extravagant, and included the places we stayed during our tour.  

• Isaacs Hostel Dublin

         the city’s most friendly and centrally located backpackers hostel offering cheap, affordable                           accommodation in Dublin City Centre.  Offering free breakfast, free wifi, and free sauna with prices               starting at 10 Euros per night.

• Travelodge

         Travelodge Ireland is Ireland's leading provider of budget hotels with 12 hotels in Ireland. Offering              great locations with 5 hotels in Dublin, 2 hotels in Limerick and hotels in Belfast, Derry, Galway,                    Waterford and Cork.  Rates available all year round from as low as €39.

• Glenraha Farmhouse

        Glenraha Farmhouse is a spacious Failre Ireland approved bed and breakfast accommodation that is             also part of a working dairy farm. A warm welcome awaits you from your host Brid Fitzpatrick who               prides herself on making sure all her guests have a relaxing, comfortable and memorable stay.  As               Glenraha is part of a working farm, the Fitzpatrick family will be delighted to show you the different             aspects of their farming life.  Prices start at 32 Euro per person per night.

• Friars Glen Country House

        This family run country house is located in the heart of Killarney National Park and only 4km from the           vibrant town of Killarney.  Friars Glen offers bed and breakfast to the highest standard. The ten                   spacious ensuite bedrooms offer all the facilities you would expect of a modern hotel room and we               serve memorable breakfasts in a unique setting.  2015 rates start at 90 Euros per room/                             double occupancy. 

• Kinnitty Castle Hotel

        Kinnitty Castle Hotel, located in the picturesque village of Kinnitty Co. Offaly, nestled in the foothills of           the Slieve Bloom Mountains, offers the perfect setting for a romantic castle break in Ireland.  Midweek         specials start at $65 per person per room.

• Powerscourt Hotel

        Nestled in the Garden of Ireland, Powerscourt Hotel is Ireland's most luxurious resort and it's just 30             minutes from Dublin.  I chose this particular 5 star hotel over the many other scrumptious choices               because, although we did not stay here, we did visit Powerscourt and loved it.  Rooms rates start at             $190.

The third and final part of my Irish experience series will cover attractions!  Don't miss highlights of what to see in Ireland.  And if you decide to beauty of Ireland for your next trip, let us help you plan out all the details!

Happy roving,
Kyleen

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